Indian Navy to get second batch of Boeing P-8i Poseidon (Multimission Maritime) Aircraft in October and will be based at INS Hansa, Dabolim in Goa.
The Indian Navy currently operates eight P-8I, based at INS Rajali, Arakkonam(ARK) in Tamil Nadu.
The Indian Navy ordered eight P-8I jets in January 2009 and after being impressed bythe performance, a follow-on order for four more aircrafts was placed in July 2016, while 6 more aircraft cleared for procurement.
The second batch of the P-8Is will strengthen the Advance Submarine Warfare capabilities of Indian Navy over the Arabian Sea and the IOR (Indian Ocean Region).
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The first aircraft from follow-on order is expected to arrive in first week of October and will be based at INS Hansa, currently operates the Ilyushin Il-38SD.
The P-8i aircraft is being operated in the anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASUW), and shipping interdiction roles.
It is armed with torpedoes, Harpoon anti-ship missiles and other weapons, and is able to drop and monitor sonobuoys, as well as operate in conjunction with other assets.
Indian Navy P-8i is also deployed in Eastern Ladakh along with Line of Actual Control (LAC) as tensions between India and China escalates.
